


Breathe

by GrapieBee



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Genre: Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father Figures, Father-Son Relationship, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 13:22:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11014296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrapieBee/pseuds/GrapieBee
Summary: Link knew, regardless of how many other storms he had to weather, Daphnes would be right at his side. Always there to remind him to breathe.





	Breathe

**Author's Note:**

> The lovely commissioner of this piece wished to remain anonymous.

Link had never been a fan of hurricanes. Not while on land and certainly not while at sea. At some point, that dislike had changed into something too close to terror for Link to be comfortable with. Every time a wind grew too strong, when the sky turned near black, his body reacted to it on instinct. His chest tightened, his heart beat roared in his ears, his hands trembled just the slightest.

His thoughts, without fail, would turn to the last hurricane that had hit them, to the way the riptide had pulled him and Aryll under. To the way Daphnes had rose to the occasion, putting himself between Link and what should have been a near certain death. He can easily recall the way blood had pooled on his father figure’s clothes and how long it had taken the bruises on his back to fade.

It’s only when the wind would die down or the sky cleared that he could finally relax, could breathe deeply once more. He had lost Daphnes once before and he never wanted to feel the cold sting of lose like that again.

When the next hurricane rolled into Outset Island, only two months after the one that had nearly swallowed him and Aryll whole, Link felt like his lungs were slowly turning into blocks of ice.

Still, as if on auto-pilot, he helped board up the house and bring anything that could be blown away inside. His body felt like lead and his hands shook, but he did what was needed of him all the same.

It would be ok, this time, he reasons with himself. No one is by the shore, they had plenty of warning, no one was going to be swept up in the tide. Daphnes wouldn’t have to be out in the waves, fighting the riptide. A vicious Gyorg wouldn’t bite him and kill him and Link wouldn’t lose him all over again and feel that terrible empty ache of los-

“That ought to do it, wouldn’t you agree?” the low, deep rumble of Daphnes’ voice breaks through Link’s thoughts, forcing his attention back to the task at hand.

Daphnes held a hammer and nails in his hands, beaming up at his handy work. Right, they were finishing boarding up the windows.

“I know I may not be the best when it comes to using a hammer, but I must toot my own horn. This isn’t half bad!” Daphnes said with a certain amount of pride, ruffling Link’s hair lightly.

That fully shook him from his trailing and panicked line of thinking. He finally nodded in agreement, forcing a grin onto his face as he gave the older man a thumbs up.

“I am very glad to see I have your approval. Now, let’s make ourselves scarce and get inside, shall we?”

Link nodded once more, not needing to be prompted to get out of the wind and rain.

“Big Brother, Grandma’s gonna make elixir stew!” Aryll was on them the moment they were through the door, excited by the evening’s menu as she offered the two of them warm, dry towels.

Where this news would have normally perked him up from any sour mood, he was only able to force the smallest of smiles on his face as he took a towel from her. He dried his face and hair, folding the towel and placing it on top of the laundry hamper once done. It would only need to air dry once the rain stopped.

He didn’t miss the confused look Aryll gave him.

He normally wasn’t one to fold his clothes, let alone a damp towel. But he needed something, anything, to keep his hands and thoughts preoccupied.

 He brushed past his sister and made his way into the kitchen, trying to find anything to distract him from the heavy beating of the rain on the roof. Maybe he could help his Grandma make the stew, maybe the fire needed more fuel, maybe the silverware needed polished. It didn’t matter what it was, he knew he needed something, anything, to keep himself busy.

“Oh Link, my dear I’ve got everything under control here. Why don’t you go relax?”

‘Are you sure?’ He signed, trying to keep his hands steady.

“Of course I am, dear. Now, go on, scuttle on out of here.”

Of course, it would be the one time that Link wanted to help his Grandmother in the kitchen that she would have no need of his assistance.

Still, he listened to her and made his way back out of the kitchen, head hanging a little lower as he walked. He had an idea of why he was behaving so antsy, why he was so in need of something to distract himself with. But, knowing the _why_ of the issue didn’t change the fact that he needed to find something to focus on-

His thoughts stop cold when he enters the main room to the sight of Daphnes still drying himself off. The scars from the Gyorg bites he had suffered while saving Link and Aryll from the onslaught of the last hurricane stood in stark contrast against the otherwise smooth, dark skin of his elbow and ankle. Link could feel his hands begin to shake once more as the sound of crashing waves and thundering winds howl just outside their door. He swallowed, finding the motion hard to do.

He hears these sounds and suddenly it’s almost as if the scars on Daphnes’ flesh are fresh all over again, bleeding rivets down his arm and leg. It feels almost like he’s back in those terribly fierce waters, with the Gyorg is on them - _gnashing its teeth in a frenzy as Daphnes attempts to pull them both up out of_ -

Link is startled from his thoughts by an especially loud clap of thunder and the sound of wooden boards straining against the wind.

“Ah, looks like I may not be as good with a hammer as I had hoped. So much for tooting my own horn!” Daphnes said, shooting Link a quick smile.

He did his best to readily return it, clasping his hands together, hoping to make their shaking stop.

It was fine. Everyone would be fine. Daphnes would be just fine. Everyone was inside and safe and Grandma was making his favorite stew-

When Daphnes reached for the hammer and nails once more, those comforting thoughts are dashed from Link’s mind.

No. He couldn’t go out there. Couldn’t he hear it? Didn’t he know there was a storm raging just outside? Just like the one that had nearly carried both of them out to sea to drown, just like the one that had left him with those terrible scars?

“Link, what is it, my boy?”

Without realizing it, Link had made his way to the front door, blocking Daphnes’ path.

Quickly, he began to sign.

‘Let me do it.’

He did his best to plaster another grin on his face. He knew this one didn’t meet his eyes when the older man raised an eyebrow in concern and confusion.

“It’s quite alright Link. It’s the window I boarded up that’s having trouble. What kind of role model would I be if I didn’t fix my own mistakes? Now, please, I’ll be gone for just a moment.”

Daphnes made to move past Link and, before he could stop himself, his hand had darted from his chest and snagged his father figure’s sleeve, holding it until it pulled taut.

“Link?” Daphnes questioned, turning his attention to the young Hero.

Link bowed his head to his chest, doing his best to hide his face. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that a look of terror must be painting his features at that point. His breath was caught in his throat, his chest growing tighter by the moment, a thin sheet of sweat quickly coating his forehead. He raised his remaining hand and wobbly signed out one word.

‘Stay.’

Daphnes turned around, his attention fully on the small hand grabbing at the hem of his sleeve.

“This isn’t about the window, is it my boy?”

Link shook his head. A beat of silence followed.

“You don’t want me going out in the storm, do you?”

A nod.

“Are you afraid about what happened last time a storm hit?”

He hesitated for a second before nodding once more.

“Oh Link, I promise you I will be right back inside. I just need-“

Link shook his head, flopping his blond hair across his face as he did so, the corners of his eyes pricking with tears.

Didn’t Daphnes see? It wasn’t safe out there, he couldn’t go out there, not after last time, not when the waves had almost taken them, taken _him_ , had almost sucked them down down down into the dark depths of the sea-

Link isn’t sure when it was that sobs had broken in his chest and spilled hot tears down his cheeks. He’s not sure when the panic had finally settled into his lungs, into his bones, making his body shake and his breathing ragged and awful.

He isn’t sure when it was that Daphnes had knelt to Link’s level.

He does know the feel of two large, warm arms wrap around him, holding him gently to a wide chest.

“Shhhh Link, it’s alright my boy. It’s ok. Just breathe with me, ok? Can you do that with me?”

Link buried his face against the soft fabric of Daphnes’ shirt, his tears soaking into it with every passing moment. He nods after a moment and closes his eyes, willing his senses to focus on anything but his racing thoughts. To focus on anything else other than that cold grip of grief and loss that he was so sure he would have to feel all over again-

“Breathe in…”

The sound of Daphnes’ deep voice rumbles against where Link’s head rested. He dimly realizes he can hear his heart beat, loud and strong and clear. Through his tears and shaking and memories of teeth and blood and waves, he followed his father figure’s guidance.

“Breathe out…”

The bristle of the older man’s beard tickled Link’s cheek as he shifted, hugging himself closer and wrapping his arms around Daphnes’ neck, finally reciprocating the hug.

“Breathe in…”

 His lungs began to feel normal once more, less constricted. He took in the deepest breath he could, the thick fabric of Daphnes’ tunic reminding him of calm waters and salt and far away islands they had sailed to together.

“Breathe out…”

He exhaled slowly, his shaking lessened as his thoughts began to slow down, to come back into focus, to become something Link could almost control. His tears remained, bubbling from his eyes in a near constant stream.

“It’s ok Link, I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

He hiccupped as another sob broke from his chest. He just couldn’t bear it all. He wouldn’t bear it. Couldn’t go through that pain, wouldn’t go through that pain again at any cost.

If that meant his instincts told him to panic should Daphnes try to step outside during a storm, so be it.

“What’s wrong with big brother, Daphnes?”

Link could just make out his sister’s voice over the ebb and flow of his own thoughts.

“He’s worried about the storm, Aryll.”

He expected her to question that, maybe even to poke a little fun at him. He could hear her line of questioning already: ‘Big brother, you’ve never been afraid of hurricanes before, why would now be any different?’

She says nothing of the sort. Instead, he feels her arms join Daphnes’ and she incircles his middle with a hug.

“It’s ok big brother. It’s ok to be afraid sometimes.”

Her words, so kind and understanding for how young she is, somehow makes him cry harder.

The three of them remain like that for a long while after, Link embraced by the two people who understood just how terrible that last storm had been. The only two who had been there, had felt the power of nature as she acted on her own will, oblivious to the pain she might cause to those caught up in her influence.

Eventually, even Link’s tears are spent. He still remains against Daphnes’ chest, pressing his face against the tear dampened fabric time and time again, breathing in deeply, reminding himself over and over that it was ok. It would be ok. It was just a storm.

He is nearly startled by the sound of his Grandmother’s voice calling from the kitchen.

“Everyone, the stew is just about ready. Would someone come help me set the table?”

He sniffles as he makes to pull away from the hug, but Aryll beats him to it.

“I’m on it!” she calls back, untangling herself from her brother.

He waits for a beat longer before fully pulling away, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands. With the panic subsided, some part of him is deeply embarrassed by his tears and shaking and nihilistic thoughts.

Again, not meeting Daphnes’ eyes, he shuffles his feet and begins signing once more.

‘Sorry.’

“Whatever for, Link?” The older man had since moved from his kneeling position to sitting himself on the floor, full attention directed at Link.

Link wrung his hands together for a moment, trying to figure out how best to word what he needed to say.

‘I was being stupid, acting like thi-‘

Daphnes stops his signing, taking Link’s hands into his own, much larger hands.

“Don’t call yourself stupid, Link. You have every right to be nervous, have every right to be scared, considering what happened during the last storm.”

With some force, Link pulled his hands back, signing almost angrily.

‘No, it was stupid. I know nothing like last time is going to happen, I know that. But I still…I still acted like this. It’s stupid. I don’t like acting like this.’

Daphnes is quiet for a beat or two, breaking the silence between them with a soft sigh.

Link is almost startled by the feeling of a large and heavy hand resting atop his head, gently ruffling his still drying hair.

“My dear boy, there is never any shame in admitting when you’re scared. Truth be told, I myself have been uneasy during this storm.”

Link peeks through his bangs, trying to read his father figure’s expression. All he saw on Daphnes’ face was patience and a gentle smile.

For the first time since the storm had begun to roll in, a true grin crossed Link’s face.

‘Thank you.’

“Think nothing of it Link.”

Just as the words left his mouth, Aryll called to them from the kitchen.

“Big Brother, Daphnes, stew is ready.”

As much as he could, Link helped the older man to his feet.

‘What about the window?’

“Well, why don’t we both go out there to fix it after dinner?”

Another smile spread across Link’s face as he nodded.

\-----------------------------------------------

The next storm that rolled around, everyone fell into step. Aryll brought in the laundry and other loose out door items. Grandma took to making a comforting pot of stew.

Link and Daphnes took to boarding up the windows. This time, when Link’s hands began to shake just enough to be noticeable, Daphnes took a moment to pause in their work and gentle ruffle Link’s hair.

“It’s ok Link. Just breathe for a moment with me.”

Together, nailing the last boards in place, they breathed together.

In…

….and out.

In…

…and out.

Link knew, regardless of how many other storms he had to weather, Daphnes would be right at his side.

Always there to remind him to breathe.


End file.
